Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

For 6482372-73 (56 400 Upper), the backing (left) is 1/8" standard stock. Three clips should be used in the holes. The upholstery is 1/32" stock with 1/64" above, and then strips of 1/8" batting, under the fabric. There is about 1/8" clearance between each stitch line, and the batting strips. This assembly is sewn through. The stitch pitch is about 0.218 and the stitch lines are about 2" apart, within 1/16". This assembly is adhered to the backing with trim adhesive.

The fabric gutter is about 1-1/2" typ. and is secured to the back of the backing (not to its own assembly).

For manual window cars, the hole in the fabric assembly, but not the backing, should be enlarged to fit the escutcheon. Its tabs then bent over the backing only.

For 269100-01 (55 Constellation Upper), all the details are the same, but the lines are 15/16" apart, and the gutter is about 3/4".

For 6482832-33 (56 Caribbean Lower), the construction is again identical in all details to 6482372-73, but with a 3/4" gutter, except that for the lower two colors, 3/32 cardboard is used instead of the batting. The batting is the same for the upper color. Unlike the "counterbore" for the crank escutcheon, no significant margin is used for the window switch.

For 269204-05 (55 400 Armrest) the stack-up is similar, with vinyl, 3/32", 1/64", then thin fabric about 0.022", then the backing. The fabric is probably there only to give strength to the cardboard part of this before it is attached to the backing. (Shown right to left in photo.) Unlike on the 6482832-33, cardboard is used instead of batting for the stitching area. For obvious reasons, it is unclear to me the original thickness of the foam topping, though 1/2" should be reasonable. It is most important to remember that the backing must have a cutout for the ashtray lid, as shown.

For 6482544-45 (56 400 Armrest) the backing has been replaced with metal, and the foam has been replaced with jute. Mine is about 3/8" tall, but seems expanded, so I would either use foam like in 55, or use 20# jute that has been fluffed up. The lower side has 1/16" and 1/32" cardboard, while the upper is functionally the same as 55.

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Door card construction:

The door cards are constructed in a very similar way to the trim panels already described. The different sections of vinyl are adhered to a backing, and any batting or sewing necessary is done, in the same way as shown before. Then these sections are adhered to the card backing. The metal armrest is assembled separately. On Senior cars, the top of the armrest is leather. It is in 2 sections sewn together, plus the horizontal insert piece that often goes astray. The insert is backed with 0.045" cardboard. The armrest is installed and the tabs bent over, along with all necessary trim. Then the clips are slotted in.

Shown below are a 56 Caribbean card (6482574-75) and an NOS 56 Patrician card 6482424-25 (missing trim and significantly faded from original black and light gray). Further down is a 55 Super card 258912-13. The card is a little unusual since no one ever trimmed the material properly for the window crank escutcheon. Turns out this is normal for the cars that did not have a separate part number for the power window type door cards. So this would have been an NOS panel someone got at one point. Speaking of NOS, the original leather had plastic sheeting over it to protect it, easily seen on the NOS Patrician card. It was caught by two of the armrest tabs, and the lower trim. Note the remaining plastic on the Caribbean card, which would have been torn off by the selling dealer long ago.

I am unsure what the black strips are on the cardboard for the Caribbean panel. I have seen the same on my Clipper Deluxe panels (258898-99). I assume it was pre-applied adhesive which has since long dried, but I don't know. It really resembles cheap paint, but I can't fathom why paint would be applied there for any reason whatsoever.

As you can see, there were various types of staples employed to help hold the material down to curve around the back of the card. There was no real pattern as far as I can tell; the unifying theme simply seems to be how difficult it is to get the material to hold a bend, so they were simply stapled where convenient.

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Very nice to have all these details and will make the work on our cars all the easier with so much to reference.

I have a set of 1956 Patrician door panels that are overall excellent but need some tidying up that I am going to allocate to an upholstery shop. Most of it is related to the arm rests, however, there are a couple places where material has gotten untucked and at least one piece if trim is missing which I have waiting to install. Anything we should watch for?

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Not much comes to mind, but some types of material (vinyl) can shrink and it will be difficult to reapply it properly. This can often be rectified by heating the piece in hot water, however.